Insole for boots or shoes



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L. P. HAWKINS. INSOLE FOR BOOTS 011 SHOES.

No. 316,780. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

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.LORENZO l. HAIVKINS, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

INISOLE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,780. dated April 28, 1885.

Application filed November 23, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, Lonnxzo 1?. HAWKINS, residing in Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot and Shoe Insoles; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in insoles for boots and shoes.

The object of the invention is the production of a textile and waterproofed fabric insole for boots or shoes which will be simple, cheap, and very efficient, and when used in the manufacture of that class of boots and shoes known to trade and commerce as machinesewed boots and shoes will tend to give to said class of manufactured articles all those desirable qualities of flexibility and durability which belong more especially to that other class of boots and shoes commonly designated as hand-sewed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved insole. Fig. 2 shows a side view of a shoe partly broken out to show the insole in place.

Same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, (t represents my improved.

insole. This insole I intend to make of common canvas, or some other heavy textile fabric which may be deemed an equivalent for canvas;

11 represents an outer sole of a boot or shoe, to which the insole a is fastened by stitching c after the well known and usual practice of the factories.

(1 indicates the upper of a shoe.

In constructing a boot or shoe with my insole the usual methods of uniting the parts are followed.

The insole, although simple in construction and easyof application, possesses many decided advantages over insoles as ordinarily made and used. Then an insole of canvas or equivalent. fabric is used, the stitching by which the union of parts is accomplished readily sinks into and becomes embedded in the insole. Thus a smooth and even surface is (No model.)

I provided for the feet to rest upon, and all danger of protruding lines of stitching to irritate or some other hard surface is used for insoles, the stitching rubbing against the bottom of the feet is often a source of great annoyance to a person in walking. This arises from the fact that the stitches protrude above the surface of the insole instead of embedding in it. Again, an insole of canvas or other fabric clings and adheres after a little use to the outer sole, and to a certain degree becomes part of the same. This fact is of very considerable importance in my invention.

Boots and shoes as commonly constructed have both soles made of leather or some equally hard and elastic material. Such soles when sewed together do not adhere to each other, but always remain independent, and when the stitching is broken readily separate. These soles bending under tread do not bend as one piece of leather, but the top or inner sole tends to slide over the outer sole, and a'continual longitudinal sliding backward and forward is kept up of one sole over the other, and unless the uniting-threads are very strong the stitches split out from the side of the shoe and necessitate a bill of expense for repairs.

As above stated, a canvas insole adheres to the other sole, and does not slide longitudinally. Thus the difficulty just set forth does not obtain when it is used. A boot or shoe with my insole will be very flexible under tread and very easy to the foot. The flexi bility will bein every way equal to that found in a hand-sewed article, which is always more flexible and easy than a machine-sewed article. The flexibility of the insole is of great advantage in preventing the boot or shoe from fi['II11y laced or buttoned to the foot the tendency is for the sole to fit close against the bottom of the foot and not to work about. When a stiff inflexible sole is used, the sole does not yield readily to the tread,a.nd a strain is brought upon the back of the boot j ust above the top of the counter, causing the leather to break through at that point.

In addition to the advantages above set forth I am able to produce avery efficient water-proof insole by treating the canvas with shellac, or

and hurt the feet is obviated. When leather will be cut off. In that event the upper will.

slipping; at the heel, for when the boot is Y ICO any chemical or other compound which will not be acted upon by water, said chemical treatment in no wise detracting from the general usefulness and value of my said invention.

I am aware that boots and shoes have been made with a sole in three parts, the middle sole of waterproofed duck, and that a boot has been made having its upper of Waterproofed canvas; also, that boots have been made with an entire sole and heel of waterproofed fabric formed of several layers especially prepared.

I am also aware that a boot has been made with a canvas insole.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A boot or shoe having a flexible sole consisting of two permanent soles, the inner made of waterproofed textile fabric, the two soles united by stitching embedded into the fabric, whereby is produced a very'fiexible sole having a smooth finish inside the boot or shoe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, LORENZO P. HAWKINS.

W itnesses:

JOHN F. BARRETT, HERBERT G. BRIGGS. 

